Russian authorities have announced that they will impose fines on major social media platforms for allegedly encouraging minors to protest in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The Russian audiovisual police agency "Roskomnadzor" confirmed that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and YouTube will be fined. The agency clarified that the fines are due to these platforms' failure to comply with regulations aimed at preventing calls for minors to participate in unauthorized gatherings on January 23.
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a 44-year-old lawyer, had called on his supporters to protest after his detention last week upon returning to Moscow for the first time after undergoing treatment in Germany following poisoning with a nerve agent in August.
Authorities have warned people to stay away from protest locations, stating that they risk infection with the coronavirus, as well as legal action and possible imprisonment for attending unauthorized protests. However, demonstrators defied the ban and took to the streets in strong protests, despite the severe cold, with temperatures dropping to below -50 degrees Celsius in some areas.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price released a statement condemning the severe tactics used against protesters and journalists in cities across Russia over the weekend. Price noted that the Russian government had sought to suppress the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression by harassing protest organizers, threatening social media platforms, and preemptively detaining potential participants. He pointed out that this comes after years of tightening restrictions and repressive measures against civil society, independent media, and political opposition.
